Talking-machine.



M. J,. SAMUELS. TALKING MACHINE. APPLICATION FILED NOV. 23, l9l5 Patented Dec. 17, 1918.

nwavrom ml min l a 1 1 hl Arm/mm Um TED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

MARK JAY SAMUELS, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.,

ASSIGNOR TQ LYRAPHONE COMPANY 01 AMERICA, OF WASHINGTON, DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA, A CORPORATION OF DELA- WARE.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, MARK JAY Saucers, a citizen of the United States. and a resident of the borough of Manhattan, city, county, and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Ina-provements in Talking-Machines, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to talking machines and particularly to the means for connecting the reproducer or sound box to'the sound amplifier or horn.

Some of the objects of-my invention are to eliminate the false and impure sounds sometimes experienced in phonographs of ordinaryconstruction; to provide a simple means for attaching and detaching the tone arm from the amplifier, to permit easy motion thereof in all directions, and to effect a more perfect contact of the needle and record. Other objects of my invention will appear in the specification and will more] particularly be referred to in the claims.

In talking machines of the ordinary construction, a metallic member known as a tone arm is used to connect the sound amplifier with the reproducer. The tone arm is generally so arranged that the rcprodiicer is free to move about a the needle may follow the grooves in the record and is also free to move in a vertical direction to ing of the record surface.

or other inequalities in its Provision is usually made for these movements of the reproducer, either by utilizing a ball and socket joint between the end of the amplifier and the adjacent end of the-tone arm, or by pivoting the entire tone arm to swing about a horizontal axis at its point of attachment to the amplifier and pivoting the end oi the tone arm adja cent the reproduccr to the rcmaindcr of the tone arm to pcrmit of the vertical move. ment of the rcproducer. thcreisa ball and socket joint bctwcen two metallic members, which results in a considerable lost motion and of the vibration of one member with respect to the other.

In the second case, where the two simple pivoted joints are used, while there is not as much lost motion in either joint as in the ball and socket oint. the fact that there are Specification of Letters Patent.

tcrial, and by vertical axis, so that compensate for any warp lnthc first case, -othcr function with therefore permits two joints between metallic TALK IN G-MACHINE.

Patented Dec. 17, 1918. Serial No. 62,979. nien'ibers, instead of one, renders this construction as unsatisfactory as the ball and socket construction.

I have found that the ordinary mctallic tone arm, which tapers throughout its length, constitutes, in itself, a tone amplificr. ,But its construction being necessarily inexact and its freedom of vibration hcing impeded, both by its conformation and mathe fact that it contacts with other portions of the apparatus. the amplification is not true and overtones are introduced. Also the vibration'ol the tone arm mechanically. such as results from the scratching of the needle, introduces into the tone, certain extraneous sounds. very disagreeable and objectionable. These sounds are particularly evidcnt when the periodicity of the n'icchanical vibration of the tone arm approaches the natural pcrio'dicity of the arm itself. ltis evident that the vibration of the tone arm from any cause whatever will, it there be any lost motion between it and any other parts of the device, cause a chattering between the relatively movable portions.

Another disadvantage of the present use of metallic tone arms. is the fact that the ncedle often jumps from contact with the record, due to some impcrl'cction in the record or the collection of dust or dirt thereon. This'jun'iping or the needle destroys the continuity of tone and also produces any chattering at the joints.

\Vith a view to eliminating all the disadvantages above noted, I have constructed my tone arm of nonrcsonant material, prcfic'rahly flexible or elastic. By making the tone arm non-resonant, I avoid any vibration therein and confine the amplification of the-sound cntircly to the amplifier proper. lhc shape of the tone arm therefore may be any convenient one. since it performs no respect to' the sound, than to transmit it in its unamplified condition from the rcproducer to the amplifier. All thatis required isa relatively unobstructed passage, in which the air can which are produced by resonance. and moreover, the tone arm being preferably of a flexible mavertical movement of the re roducer, thus tending to hold the needle to 1ts work .and to more accurately follow the Wave conformations in the record, thus producing a purer tone with less wear upon the record. Such an elastic tone arm also furnishes convenient means for attaching and detaching the tone arm from the amplifier and from the reproducer, as will be hereinafter pointed out.

Referring to the drawing,

Figure 1 is a plan view of a talking ma f, chine; to which my improvedftone arm is .2 is a side elevation, partly insection, of this talking machine; and

Fi 3 is a fragmentary sectional view, showing the means for attaching the tone arm to the amplifier. I

The phonograph ma be of any desired type and may be provi ed with any suitable record supportin means, such, for example, as the disk 5. e amplifier, which, in the type of machine illustrated, is for the most part concealed, terminates in the rigid tubular member 6. The tolie arm 7 serves to connect the reproducer 8 to the end 6 of the amplifier.

As herein shown, the tone arm comprises ap lied a tube. ofv flexible non-resonant material,

such, for example, as soft rubber. At one end the tone ann receives the extension 9 of the reproducer. If the tone ,arm is elastic,

as is preferable,.it is apparent that the reproducer will, in this way, be held in osition in the end of thetone arm, wit out the necessity of any retaining means.

The other end of the tonearm is preferably provided with an elbow in order that it may be connected conveniently to'the end '6 of the amplifier. As is shown in Figs. 2 and 3-, the end 6 of the amplifier is provided with circumferentially eXtendingslots 1.0, which are adaptedto receive the pins 11 secured to the end of the tone arm. In order p to attach the tone arm to the member 6, it

' is merely necessary to compress the tone arm, so that the pins 11 may be inserted in the slots 10'and then release the compression. The result is that the tone arm is firmly held within the member 6 by the pin and slot connection 10-11, but is permitted, by reason of the extent of the slots, 'to rotate sufiicien-tly topermit-th'e needle to move across a record when placed in position on the disk 5.

Because of the flexibility or elasticity of the tone arm 7, it is unnecessary to provide any pivot to permit vertical movement of the reproducer 8.

- When the talking machine is not in use,

the reproducer is preferably elevated from the record supporting disk and in order to retain it in elevated position, I provide a suitable bracket" or rest, as shown at 12 in the drawing.

The advantages .of, using a tone-arm of assembling'of the device ready and conurthermore. such a tone-arm Wlll venient. be, durable, since it is pliable and will therefore not'be so liable to crack when used.

Furthermore the pliable, flexible nature of [the tone-arm helps to deaden the undesirable noises coming from the operating parts of the talking machine, since the walls of the therefore act to efiiciently deaden the sounds tone-arm are soft and yielding and will which it is not desired t0-be transmitted.

These advantages of the use of a flexible,

non-resonant tone-arm are notinconsist'e'nt with the mounting of such tone-arm in such a manner that the same will not be flexed or distorted during the operation of the ma-" 7 chine. Flexureor distortion of the tonearm during the operation of the machine are to be avoided since such action willaf- 1 feet the pitch of the tones-transmitted and will also act to more quickly wear out the tone-arm and cause the same to crack when in. use. I am thus enabled to combine the eflicient manner which at the same time advantages specified in an economical andi avoids disadvantages which might otherwise be considered to follow from the use" of a tone-arm not having the roperties al ready specified.

The method of using my invention should be reviewed. I While I have described but a-single em many changes may be ma e therein, without departing from the spirit of my invention.

What I claim is:

1. In a talking machine, a tone-arm'for connecting the movable reproducer to the relatively stationary amplifier of atalking ,be apparent from the above, and need not machine, said tone-arm comprising a tubef of flexible non-resonant material, said tube bcmg the sole means mterposedbetween said reproducer and said amplifier and being adapted to move without substantial flexure with relation to the amplifier. I

2. In a talking machine, a rigid amplifier,

a movablereproducer, a non-resonant tonearm of soft rubber constituting the sole means'interposed between the amplifier and without substantial flexure of said assume reproducer, and means for permitting free movement of the tone-arm relative to the amplifier at the'point of junction of the two Without substantial flcxure of said 'tone arm.

3. In a talking machine, a metallic amplifier, a reproducer, a non-resonant soft rubber tone-arm connecting the reproduccr and the amplifier and being the sole connecting means interposed between the two,anrl. joining means at the junction of the amplifier and tone-arm permitting free movement of the tone aim with respect to the amplifier tone-arm. 4. In a talking machine, a stationary metallic amplifier, a reproducer, a non-resonant soft rubbertone-arm, said tone-arm comprising the sole connecting means between the reproducer and the amplifier, said t0nearm being connected to the amplifier so as the tone-arm the same.

5. In a talking machine, a sound amplifier having a hollow cylindrical end provided with circumferentially extending slots, a re producer, and means for connecting the reproducer "to the end of the amplifier, said. means comprising a tube of flexible material adapted to receive the reproduce]: in one end and provided at the other end with a plurality of stationary. pins adapted to be received. Within said slots.

In testimony whereof I have signed this specification in the presence or" "two subscribing witnesses.

, MARK JAY SAMUELS.

Witnesses:

WALTER S. Jones,

M, Emmi-amt, 

